A Strange City
by Ocean Mint Leaves
Summary: or, how new citizens of Camelot, passers-by and visiting noblemen end bewildered by the unprecedented behavior of a certain Court Sorcerer and a High King. Mostly fluff. My Christmas present for you guys!
1. Brothers?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Merry Christmas!

A Two- Shot to brighten your day! This is my Christmas present to all of you guys! Enjoy :D

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><p><strong>Brothers?<strong>

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><p>When Roger first arrived in Camelot, he was surprised at the people's attitude. They smiled as if they had not one care in the world. Their faces showed the glister of hard-labor and yet there was not a shadow of worry upon their eyes. He knew of Camelot's good fame, but this was ridiculous. Surely, there was no way this city suffered no predicaments?<p>

If he'd asked, most people would just smile and agree with his statement, for Camelot was the heart of Albion, and in it there was nothing but the peace Albion's greatest King emanated and provided.

And if Roger thought the eerie cheeriness of the city was strange, then what he spotted as he walked around the castle's courtyard was even more so.

There was never a doubt in Roger's mind, as he saw them chase each other, that this two men were brothers. There was a broad-shouldered man who must've been a knight with what looked as a pointy hat crushed on his fist, and another one, taller, slender and with a mop of black hair that he was presently trying to rub away from his eyes, grinning at him as he scurried away. But sure enough, the blond one reached him, getting his brother in a headlock and, before his companion could protest, placing the hat upon his dark haired head firmly.

"Ah, you prat!" the man said, scuffing indignantly. "I am not wearing this!"

The blond, not paying any heed to his brother's efforts to elbow his ribs, just smiled and said, with the surety that a king's voice must've carried. "Yes you are." he paused for a moment and his eyes seemed to twinkle with unhindered playfulness. " or would you prefer this?"

He tossed the hat to the side and rubbed his large knuckles into the black hair. Letting a yelp, the man's dark blue eyes widened as he tried to get out of the strong grasp.

"Stop it; _stop it_, you cabbage head!"

As he went his way, Roger couldn't help but let a grin fill his face. He'd seen these two's antics a couple of times, in his own children and in his attitude towards his older brother. He could still hear the muffled laughs and he caught sight of a flying tackle as he turned towards the lower town.

...

Another week passed and Roger had made his life in Camelot fairly well. He was working as a blacksmith with the help of a very helpful knight named Elyan and he was starting to feel the contagious feasting ambiance the city seemed to have. It was not as strange anymore, once he woke up with the surety that his life was not in any danger, that Camelot's knights- the finest in all of Albion- were patrolling the city and the nearby forest and that his beautiful and gentle Queen ( who he still had to see with his own eyes, if he was to believe all that was said of her beauty) was always ready to help if any disgrace should befall him.

But mostly Roger wanted to lay his eyes upon King Arthur. He knew the man was the fabled king, the legendary leader from the druid's prophecies, and in his travels he'd heard much about his strength and speed, his steadfast sword Excalibur, the way a simple command from his voice could make greedy noblemen cower and how his eyes, flashing subtly whenever an injustice entered his sight, were the terror of many.

As he mused over this he did not notice that he was entering Camelot's forest and that his boots were now touching soft grass.

It was then when he spotted them again, sitting near a lake. The two brothers, the blond man and the dark haired one, grinning sheepishly as they ate what seemed to be a picnic. There was another person with them, a dark-skinned woman with dark long curls and a lovely smile. She gestured with her hands, looking as a beautiful maidservant in her Camelot- red garment, placing a grape on her mouth as she laughed.

Suddenly, the young, dark haired man seemed to notice him. His blue eyes locked with his for a moment before his face split up in a wide grin. " Looks like we have company" he said, elbowing the blond one.

Knowing there was no other thing he could do, Roger stepped out of the wilderness and smiled shyly at the beautiful Lady. He stood there, his hat on his hands, looking down at the wise blue eyes of the dark haired man.

"I am sorry if I am interrupting your feast," he mumbled as an apology. "I was just walking and I happened to notice you."

They all smiled at him and the blond one, sky-blue eyes shinning with mirth, said. "please take a sit, you must be starving. It's mid afternoon after all"

With a smile of his own, Roger sat down. He gingerly took a piece of cheese and bread as he watched his companions carefully. The dark haired man had a pale, smooth face that brightened and lightened as the sun whenever that wide, contagious smile crossed his features as it happened on that moment, dark eyes twinkling while he looked at his blond brother, whom had the strong jaw of a noble and the compassionate sky-blue eyes that shone with his brave soul. He grinned at the Lady in front of him with a faint blush in his cheeks and in turn, she, the Lady, mirrored with a lovely smile of her own. Roger had seen counted times someone as beautiful. Her long dark curls encircled her beautiful face and her dark eyes spoke of the kindest of hearts.

"You just arrived in Camelot, isn't that right?" asked the dark haired man, raising an eyebrow and shooting him a lopsided grin "how do you find it? Do you like it?"  
>Roger swallowed his cheese before answering. He noticed that the blond was gazing at him intently with thoughtful eyes but he didn't understood why. Grinning, he said "I do. I don't understand how the people can be this happy, though. They are always content, cheerful…is like if they have not a care in the world."<p>

The blond man's smile widened and it did not escape Roger that his brother winked at him with something that could be pride on his dark blue eyes. But it was gone, then, when the pale man opened his mouth again and asked,

"I'm sure you haven't met the King, then? you would be surprise of how good of a King he can be even if he is a prat most of the time"

Roger blinked in surprise and a hundred thoughts went through his mind, from 'treason' to complete and utter bafflement... but before he could say anything the blond man had retorted "Oh, don't you know about the lazy git he made Court Sorcerer? I heard he is a complete_ idiot_!"

The Lady just rolled her eyes and turned to Roger with an apologetic smile "Don't mind them. They behave like children sometimes."

And, just that once, Roger decided to let it slide...and he spent the afternoon laughing and joking with this three wonderful people whom he did not even know by name.

...

Roger had spent almost 2 weeks in Camelot now, and he was fitting in spectacularly. Now, he often wondered why he'd find the place strange at all. He'd learned to laugh in a way he hadn't in years, learned to smile at the rising sun and no worries ever awoke him in the middle of the night. Even if he still had to meet the King Roger knew that not one power in the world could harm him, as he was tucked safely below the Once and Future King's and Emrys' wings. Truly, Camelot was a otherworldly place. There was no injustice that could befall him, no disgrace that could not be counter-attackled with the wondrous magic that the Court Sorcerer possessed ( a man, Roger had heard, that inspired fear and awe with a look of his eyes.)

As he walked through the market on evening he had, once again, an encounter with the strange but brilliant dark- haired man while he was looking for fruit. The man beamed at him and said warmly. "Hello, Roger, how are you? Are you happy already?"

Roger smiled back, even if he hadn't learn the lad's name there was something about him that inspired deep trust. And so he replied. "I'm fine. Camelot is great. I feel so much peaceful in here"

"Well, I'm sure you are. Do you like your work as a blacksmith? Is everything good right now?"

"It is." wondering for a brief moment why the lanky boy would take an interest on his life, Roger let his smile widen. "thank you."

But he couldn't help it. As the tall young man turned to leave Roger let out a question that he hadn't intended to ask at first "Why would you ask, though? Is not like if you could do anything about it"

He half turned to look at Roger with those deep eyes.

A strange twinkle appeared in them as he grinned "Oh, believe me. I have more influence on the royal prat than anyone. If someone's unhappy he'd make sure it is fixed."

So that's how it worked, then.

Bending over some grapes after the man had gone away, Roger wandered what he had meant by _'Royal Prat'_ was it some kind of advisor to the King? Maybe the young man was a nobleman's son.

...

The day when everything made sense Roger thought he'd have a heart attack.

He had being eating his lunch, chatting away with Elyan about his job when he had spotted them again. The dark haired man was grinning and the blond one was smiling contently as they strove through the market, engaged in some playful banter.

Roger found himself sniggering quietly at the thought of his sons.

"What is so funny?" Elyan had asked, curious.

"You see those two there?" Elyan nodded as he smiled at the pair. "They remind me so much of my two sons. It's funny how brothers act sometimes. I remember my own brother whenever I see them... " he'd trailed off and said with a content smile. "They must be really close."

Elyan's face had been one of bewildered amusement. He had leaned closer and said in a half- contained laugh. "_Brothers?_ Oh no, Roger, you've got it wrong. Those aren't brothers. That is _King_ Arthur and his Court Sorcerer, _Merlin_."

Needles to say, Roger paled and the piece of chicken that he was eating lodged on his throat, and after a few moments in which he was deprive of oxygen and Elyan's strong hands patted his back, he bent and threw up all he had managed to get down. Immediately, the two mentioned man strode forward.

"You alright?" asked Merlin worriedly.

"Of course he isn't alright Merlin!" the King said, rolling his eyes "_Look_ at him!"

"He had no idea you were the King, Arthur." Elyan said, patting Roger gently on the back as the man drew in gulps of air. "He probably thought you were just a nobleman-"

"He never mentioned it!" Roger managed to croak out, staring at Merlin with the gaze of a startled deer. "I had no idea..."

King Arthur slapped the back of Merlin's head gently in a much brotherly gesture, to Elyan's amusement. "You, _Mer_lin, are an idiot. The poor man is probably stunned-"

"You are Emrys!" Roger interrupted, his eyes wide. "You, boy, are _Emrys_!"

Merlin grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, well…"

"I'm really sorry Roger."King Arthur said sincerely. "You can go to our court physician with no cost whatsoever. I'm sure you just suffered a great shock now that you know your security rests upon the shoulders of this lazy git."

"Of course you don't mention the fact that you don't fit with the standardized description of King Arthur." Merlin muttered through his teeth. "I bet he didn't know it was you because people always omit the fact that you are gaining weight."

King Arthur turned around and grabbed The Emrys' neck with his strong grip, never minding Elyan's booming laughter or Merlin's snickers but rather smiling a devilish smile of his own as he said while they went on. "I have a really _special_ task for you, _Mer_lin, involving the stocks..."

And all of this Roger watched, open mouthed.

"Now that I think about it" Elyan said after a short silence. "You are right, Roger. Despite the lack of blood relation they are brothers after all."

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><p>Have a wonderful Christmas, all of you! :D<p> 


	2. A Strange Day Indeed

I love the name Cuthbert. CuthbertCuthbertCuthbert...it's Mr. Binn's first name too, for any of you Harry Potter fans our there. ;)

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><p><strong>A Strange Day Indeed.<strong>

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><p>For Cuthbert, it was a strange day indeed.<p>

He'd just arrived at Camelot, a city well-known for its just and fair laws, the unprecedented opportunities and the golden haired King of all Albion residing in the castle. He'd admired with an approving gaze the well-kept houses, the grinning faces of the people and the lightness of the place as he walked through the lower town, wondering how he would start again on this new city of hope.

That's when the first odd thing had happened.

A beautiful Lady, whom he knew for certain was Lady Guinevere, the_ Queen_, was walking towards him. She smiled at him, stopped, and said,

"How are you? Is everything alright today?"

Cuthbert didn't know what he was more surprised about. That the Queen was addressing him or that she was on the market buying food like everyone else, carrying in her slender shoulders a bag with all kinds fruits and raw vegetables and dressed with the simplicity of a commonner even if her movements had the grace of a Queen.

"Everything's fine." Cuthbert stuttered, and he was surprised at the strength of his voice since he was expecting not one sound to come out, so shocked was he. "Thank you, My Lady."

Lady Guinevere turned away with a radiant smile, extending her hand so that a little boy with golden hair and brown eyes got out of his hiding place and trotted beside her. '_The little prince Amhar!'_ Cuthbert realized with a start. He was so wide eyed watching the pair go that he didn't realize people were watching him oddly.

Then, the second strange thing had happened.

As he continued- slightly baffled- his inspection of the market a knight of Camelot with long, dark hair ran past him with a mug full of ale on his hand. A knight drinking? Cuthbert was positively horrified.

"Ah, _Sir Gwaine_!" a woman cried out, stopping the man dead on his tracks. "what's going on?"

The knight, Sir Gwaine, beamed at her. "I've got to tell the princess that his best friend has arrived!" he said, and if the expression in his face could've been brighter then he would've rivaled the sun.

Cuthbert was taken aback by this. King Arthur had a _daughter_? He had never heard of such thing! Was she a newborn, then? How could a newborn have best friends?

"Really!" the woman looked as cheerful as the boisterous knight, placing her hand upon her mouth, smiling. "It's being months!"

"I know!" Sir Gwaine said in a tone that suggested he'd start jumping were it not for the heavy chain mail. He kissed the woman loudly on her cheeks in a rough display of his overwhelming joy before he started running again. "This is a good day!. Imagine how _grumpy_ Arthur has been all this time!"

Cuthbert was too stunned to even register the knight's joyful skips as he went on. _Arthur?_ Surely he couldn't be referring to the King in a first name basis now, could he?

He got his answer a few minutes after, when the third odd thing happened.

A white stallion entered the city while trumpets suddenly started sounding. There was a man atop, but his body was covered with a dark, flowing cloak and there was a hood covering his face. However, Cuthbert managed to glimpse two stormy blue eyes below it. Following the sudden gathering of people, Cuthbert found himself staring at the tall, lanky figure as he rushed towards the lower town.

Then the fourth odd thing had happened.

Another horse, this one a maroon pure blood, was sprinting as if hell was at his hooves, a rather impossible speed, with another unlikely rider on it. King Arthur, ( for Cuthbert would recognize that imperious jaw anywhere.) without any crown or specter or _nothing_, just a giant smile plastered on his face.

Just after entering the market the white stallion stopped dead and Cuthbert noticed that King Arthur had arrived at the same time. Without hesitation, the King hopped off his horse and ran, arms wide, to the tall, lanky figure that had just climber off the white mare.

King Arthur gathered the cloaked man in a bone-crushing hug, laughing as he let out an overjoyed cry of, _"Merlin!"_

Cuthbert understood, then, that the man he was seeing, Camelot's Court Sorcerer and King Arthur's right hand, was the most powerful man alive. _The Emrys._

So he gaped._  
><em>

Bringing his own arms around to embrace his King, Merlin smiled.

"_Arthur._" he said in what he, no doubt, thought a cheery and light tone. "I see you're still in once piece."

"Yeah, well. As if I couldn't survive some time without you." The King answered with a heartfelt laugh. He stepped back, still with one hand on his friend's shoulder and, with a face that spoke of lonesome days in which he'd missed his best friend, he drew back the hood.

Everyone drew a collective gasp.

At first, Cuthbert didn't get what was so impressive. He only saw a chiseled white-bone face, bright dark blue eyes and a mop of raven hair, sticking out in places as if someone had ruffled it (he couldn't have known that Merlin's hair always looked like this). But then he got it.

There was a dark purple-bluish bruise on Merlin's left cheek.

Someone beside Cuthbert cursed and it took no longer than a few seconds for him to discover who. The cheery knight whom he'd seen drinking ale was suddenly making his way through the crowd.

"What the _hell,_ Merlin?" the knight named Gwaine bellowed, striding forward as if to shake the lean man but a look from Lady Guinevere stopped him.

King Arthur's beaming face changed dramatically. Rage, confusion and something akin to feral _protectiveness_ was clear in all of his features. Cuthbert thought he heard a faint "Uncle Merlin!" from the spot on the crowd where Lady Guinevere was standing.

Still with an expression that would probably make all of Camelot's enemies back down, the King placed his calloused hand on his Court Sorcerer's left cheek gently, taking hold of his chin with his right one and titling his dearest friend's pale face, looking for anything else he could be hiding.

"What happened to you?" King Arthur said finally and the contained fury in his voice was enough for Cuthbert to know that, whomever had done this to the Court Sorcerer would pay with their life.

For Cuthbert surprise, Merlin grinned cheekily and got a firm grip on Arthur's wrist, taking the King's hands gently down. "Hah, I wouldn't want to say it in the middle of the market but if you insist, My Lord, I tripped."

Arthur's expression was priceless. He crossed both arms on his chest and one of his blond eyebrows arched in a way that suggested complete disbelief. "You... _tripped_."

"Yep!" Merlin assured, grinning with child-like enthusiasm. "You know, better than anyone _prat_, that I am clumsy beyond repair. There was a root, I tripped, and fell down."

"But that's some nasty bruise you got there, mate." the knight named Gwaine said, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Again, Cuthbert was surprised to see that sunny smile return to Merlin's face "Oh, that's nothing, Gwaine." he replied lightly. "You should see my ribs!"

Silence echoed once again and Merlin's smile fell as if he'd suddenly realized that was the _wrong_ thing to say. He grimaced as he looked at his King and Cuthbert did too.

Arthur's hands did not hesitate as they reached for Merlin's dark tunic with an expression that Cuthbert wished he'd never see again. But Merlin, eyes widening in realization, started to shy away from his friend, only to have Arthur's stone-like hand wrapped around his lean arm to keep him in place.

"Hey!" Merlin said, trying to get out of his friend's strong grasp. "get off, Arthur! I was_ joking_-"

"Yeah, you'd better be, Merlin" Arthur replied in what must've been a growl. Easily getting over his Court Sorcerer's futile attempts at shoving him off, he lifted Merlin's shirt rapidly.

There was another gasp. And this time Cuthbert wasn't surprised when he gasped with them.

The young man's skin, pale as the moon, was marred by dark purple bruises that colored his ribcage like Yuletide lights. Very odd and dark Yuletide lights.

"Merlin…" Arthur whispered, horrified. His hand brushed over the dark spots, as if to survey the damage, but he stopped when Merlin grimaced and let out a soft, _'Ouch.'_

Immediately straightening and putting an arm around his friend, King Arthur lowered him to the ground smoothly. "You better tell me what happened to you now, you idiot!" he said in a frightening tone.

Merlin smiled yet again before he let his weary head rest against the King's shoulder. To Cuthbert's surprise, instead of minding, the King shifted so that Merlin was more comfortable in his arms.

"There were at least nine sorcerers…" Merlin began,"They were all rebelling; they were coming here to destroy you, nothing new there. I had just finished the treaty with Mercia when I spotted them. They asked for my help, you know, me being Emrys and all that. I refused and asked them to back down. They didn't. We fought. End of the story."

After blinking away the remaining exhaustion the Court Sorcerer grinned up at his King, who returned his gaze with a heartfelt glare that didn't do enough to mask his worry.

"End of the story, Merlin? How the hell did you get those injuries, then?" Gwaine said, stepping even closer.

"Ah, I didn't lie, Gwaine. I _did trip_ after the fight.…but I fell down this cliff and there was this bush-" he grinned again and Cuthbert could see in King Arthur's expression that the High King did not like where this was going. "…it took me _hours_ to get all the thorns out of my body and the spell I used was certainly not as fast as I wanted it to be."

He closed his eyes for a moment and blinked wearily before yawning.

Cuthbert was astonished. This sorcerer had fell down a cliff? Embed his body with thorns? And yet here he was, acting as if _nothing_ had happened.

"Oh, Merlin" Lady Guinevere said, stepping out of the crowd and kneeling beside her husband. She placed a hand on Merlin's brow as she let a small smile touch her lips. "Why didn't you say something first?"

"I missed you, Gwen." Merlin smiled at her sweetly. When the little prince stepped over and placed his hands on Merlin's knees, the warlock's face lit up "Hey, little guy!"

"Uncle Merlin!" Amhar said, worry present in his tiny voice "will you be alright?"

Merlin opened his mouth to reply but before his exaggerated nod was underlined by assurances Arthur placed a hand upon his shoulder and looked at his son.

"Of course, Amhar." he said, grinning convincingly "this idiot here is going to be just fine, you'll see. We won't let him go anywhere without help from now on, alright?"

And he slid one of his large hands under the Court Sorcerer's knees and another around his shoulders. Merlin blinked at him before his brow furrowed in understanding.

"Arthur!" he protested, narrowing his eyes as he tried to regain a balance he obviously did not have."Seriously, I can walk!"

"Whatever you say, _Mer_lin."

And then the fifth odd thing happened that day. King Arthur stood up, lifting his wounded friend in his arms, rejecting everyone that offered to take his place.

And he made his way back to the castle.

Cuthbert was still shaking his head in bewilderment later that day. King Arthur's face, the worry, the rage was all he could think about. Who was the sorcerer anyhow? He knew Merlin was a trusted advisor but they behaved more like two long lost brothers!

"Amazing!" was all Cuthbert could say, under his breath.

To his surprise though, someone answered his muttered thought.

"I know" a voice said at his right. Startled, Cuthbert turned and saw a mature man, probably in his fifties, grinning at him "Hello." the man said. " I'm Roger"

"Cuthbert" Cuthbert said, shaking his hand. "So, what just happened here?"

"You are surprised for the King's reaction, are you not?" Roger said in an amused tone "I was too, when I first came. Those two are one special thing."

"I don't understand…the King…he didn't mind going out of the castle without robes or a crown" Cuthbert tried to think of any other ruler who'd abandon his dignity to kneel besides the people in a muddy ground. "…he knelt on the floor…I've _never_ seen anything like that."

Roger shot him a knowing glance" You have to understand that when it comes to Merlin there's little the King won't do."

Cuthbert nodded, deciding that he would let out everything that was on his mind. Roger, he thought, could very well be his first friend on this new city.

"But there's more. That young man, the Court Sorcerer… why would he be so dead set on acting like nothing was wrong?"

" Merlin is a caring person..." Roger said. "He despises seeing people get hurt." a fond smile touched the man's weather beaten face. " Maybe, and I've known him long enough to think this is the reason; he thought that he could heal himself once he got into the castle. He just didn't want King Arthur to worry…that's the type of person he is."

"And Emrys? Is he really…?"

"Yes" Roger said in a serious tone. "He's Emrys. And Arthur is the once and Future King. If you are familiar with the druid's prophecies, as I am, you will understand the unshakable bond that unites them."

"They behave like…like…"

"Children? Yeah, when they are around each other pretty much. But a better word would be brothers."

Cuthbert nodded in appreciation. "Yeah, that's the word. Brothers"

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><p>I don't know why but I simply love to read about Merlin &amp; Arthur reuniting after circumstances force them to be apart. :D<p>

Again, happy holidays!


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